A new in-situ optical probing method for the surface reaction in photo-excited heteroepitaxy of compound semiconductors

Akihiko Yoshikawa*, Msasakazu Kobayashi, S. Tokita

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A new in-situ optical probing method with an atomic-scale resolution in heteroepitaxial growth is proposed. The experimental set-up of the method is very similar to another optical probing method called surface photo-absorption (SPA), but the principle is quite different. The new method is named surface photo-interference (SPI) because it is essentially concerned with photo-interference in the heteroepilayer. The principle of the SPI is as follows: the complex refractive indices of the atomic or molecular layers, which alternately appear on top of the surface during epitaxial growth of compound semiconductors, greatly affect the total phase shift of probing light during propagation in the epilayer, resulting in a change in the photo-interference signal intensity. One of the features of the SPI is that, unlike in the case of SPA, fairly low energy photons which are transparent for the epilayer can also be used as probing light. This is very preferable for studying the growth kinetics and/ or surface reaction in photo-excited epitaxial growth of widegap II-VI compounds, because the effect of photocatalytic growth-rate enhancement can be avoided when using such low energy photons as probing light.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)416-421
Number of pages6
JournalApplied Surface Science
Volume79-80
Issue numberC
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1994 May 2
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Chemistry(all)
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Physics and Astronomy(all)
  • Surfaces and Interfaces
  • Surfaces, Coatings and Films

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A new in-situ optical probing method for the surface reaction in photo-excited heteroepitaxy of compound semiconductors'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this